Astronomy Picture of the Day

   [1]Discover the cosmos! Each day a different image or photograph of our
      fascinating universe is featured, along with a brief explanation
                    written by a professional astronomer.

                              2026 February 11
     [2]An image of the Sun is surrounded by 12 smaller Sun images. Each
   surrounding image has some spots on it, but the large central image has
      the most dark spots. Please see the explanation for more detailed
                                information.

                             A Year of Sunspots
  Image Credit: [3]NASA, [4]SDO; Processing & Copyright: [5]Şenol Şanli &
   [6]Uğur İkizler; Text: [7]Cecilia Chirenti ([8]NASA [9]GSFC, [10]UMCP,
                               [11]CRESST II)

   Explanation: How many [12]sunspots can you see? The [13]central image
   shows the many sunspots that occurred in 2025, month by month around
   the circle, and all together in the grand central image. Each
   [14]sunspot is magnetically cooled and so appears dark -- and can last
   from days to months. Although the [15]featured images originated from
   [16]NASA's [17]Solar Dynamics Observatory, sunspots can be easily seen
   with a small telescope or [18]binoculars equipped with a [19]solar
   filter. Very large sunspot groups like [20]recent AR 4366 can even be
   seen with [21]eclipse glasses. Sunspots are still [22]counted by eye,
   but the total number is not considered exact because they frequently
   [23]change and break up. Last year, 2025, coincided with a [24]solar
   maximum, the period of most intense magnetic activity during its
   11-year [25]solar cycle. Our Sun remains [26]unpredictable in many
   ways, including when it ejects [27]solar flares that will impact the
   [28]Earth, and [29]how active the next solar cycle will be.

                       Tomorrow's picture: open space
     __________________________________________________________________

      [30]< | [31]Archive | [32]Submissions | [33]Index | [34]Search |
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     __________________________________________________________________

    Authors & editors: [41]Robert Nemiroff ([42]MTU) & [43]Jerry Bonnell
                                 ([44]UMCP)
          NASA Official: Amber Straughn [45]Specific rights apply.
            [46]NASA Web Privacy, [47]Accessibility, [48]Notices;
                A service of: [49]ASD at [50]NASA / [51]GSFC,
                         [52]NASA Science Activation
                           & [53]Michigan Tech. U.

References

   1. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
   2. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/image/2602/Sunspots2025_SdoSanli_3450.jpg
   3. https://www.nasa.gov/
   4. https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
   5. https://www.instagram.com/snlsanli/
   6. https://www.instagram.com/uikizler/
   7. https://science.gsfc.nasa.gov/sci/bio/cecilia.bertonimarthahadlerchirenti
   8. https://www.nasa.gov/
   9. https://www.nasa.gov/goddard/
  10. https://www.astro.umd.edu/people/cecilia-chirenti
  11. https://cresst2.umd.edu/
  12. https://science.nasa.gov/sun/sunspots/
  13. https://www.instagram.com/p/DTHxItFjaUe/
  14. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap230517.html
  15. https://www.instagram.com/p/DTHxItFjaUe/
  16. https://www.nasa.gov/
  17. https://sdo.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  18. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binoculars#/media/File:Binocularp.svg
  19. https://eclipse.aas.org/eye-safety/optics-filters
  20. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260208.html
  21. https://www.planetary.org/articles/are-your-solar-eclipse-glasses-safe
  22. https://www.sidc.be/SILSO/dayssnplot
  23. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap150629.html
  24. https://science.nasa.gov/science-research/heliophysics/nasa-noaa-sun-reaches-maximum-phase-in-11-year-solar-cycle/
  25. https://spaceplace.nasa.gov/solar-cycles/
  26. https://i.ytimg.com/vi/AgzTBzVXY_w/hq720.jpg
  27. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap180902.html
  28. https://science.nasa.gov/earth/facts/
  29. https://www.sidc.be/SILSO/yearlyssnplot
  30. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260210.html
  31. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/archivepix.html
  32. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/apsubmit2015.html
  33. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/aptree.html
  34. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/cgi-bin/apod/apod_search
  35. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/calendar/allyears.html
  36. https://apod.com/feed.rss
  37. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/edlinks.html
  38. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html
  39. https://asterisk.apod.com/discuss_apod.php?date=260211
  40. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/ap260212.html
  41. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/faculty/Nemiroff.html
  42. http://www.phy.mtu.edu/
  43. https://antwrp.gsfc.nasa.gov/htmltest/jbonnell/www/bonnell.html
  44. http://www.astro.umd.edu/
  45. https://apod.nasa.gov/apod/lib/about_apod.html#srapply
  46. https://www.nasa.gov/about/highlights/HP_Privacy.html
  47. https://www.nasa.gov/general/accessibility/
  48. https://www.nasa.gov/privacy/
  49. https://astrophysics.gsfc.nasa.gov/
  50. https://www.nasa.gov/
  51. https://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/
  52. https://science.nasa.gov/learners
  53. http://www.mtu.edu/